Chapter 1

The Godaime Hokage of Konoha, Tsunade, was sitting at her desk. She was an attractive woman, appearing to be in her mid twenties. She had pale blonde hair, drawn back into two ponytails. She was wearing a green cape, with the kanji for "Gamble" on the back, and under that was a striped green open shirt, closed with a belt. Her breasts however, were MASSIVE. They were almost as big as she was. Strange indeed for a woman who was in her early fifties. How was this achieved? Through an extremely complex Genjutsu, which not even the Byakugan could see through.

Much like every other day since she took on this cursed job, she was slowly being enveloped by paperwork. The Bane of the Kages. Their most hated enemy. She could swear the paper was actually breeding. She didn't see Shizune, her assistant enter, yet it appeared to have almost TRIPLED in size since she last looked.

She let out a loud sigh, and leaned back. Maybe she could sneak some... Just a quick sip, no-one needed to know. With these traitorous thoughts running through her mind, Tsunade's hand slowly twitched towards her top drawer... 'Just a little further...' she thought, with her tongue caught in her teeth outside her mouth. 'Almost there... My Preciousss.' She slowly inched the drawer open, careful it didn't make any noise. Slowly, very slowly, she inched her hand into her desk, slowly reach across and grasping something. A little bit faster now, she eased it out of her desk, giggling slightly to herself. 'YES!!' Her inner mind screamed. She quickly removed the lid, and eased it towards her mouth. The liquid of the gods, sake, started to dribble toward the edge, almost into her mouth...

"TSUNADE-SAMA!"

'DAMN IT ALL' Tsunade screamed mentally, even as a black blur rushed in, grabbing the precious liquid, and taking it away from her. "WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT DRINKING ON THE JOB!"

Shizune, the mortal enemy of sake. A small, frail looking beauty, Shizune was easily found by her typical black kimono, and short black hair. She had wide black eyes, which were currently narrowed in anger. "Tsunade-sama! You know better then to drink while working!" She ranted. "Drinking on the job! What kind of example does this set for the rest of us! We all look up to you for-" Tsunade just tuned her out, nodding her head every now and again, and saying sorry a couple of times, for good effect. Suddenly, a toad leapt in through the window.

"Message for Tsunade-hime!" It shouted, before leaping on the desk in front of her, and spitting out the scroll. Tsunade grabbed the scroll, and started reading. Slowly, her skin started to pale, and her eyes widened. "Shizune! Get me Naruto Uzumaki, and his team now!"

~Scene break~

Naruto was sitting at Ichiraku ramen, enjoying his fifth bowl of Miso ramen. "Ahh, this is great Old Man!" He yelled back to the cook.

"Thanks Naruto!" The old man yelled back.

In a whirl of leaves, a Chunin appeared.

"Naruto Uzumaki, the Hokage requests your presence. It is urgent." Said the Chunin, before vanishing again.

"Hey Old Man! I gotta go, moneys on the counter!" Yelled Naruto, before running towards the Hokages tower. On the way, Naruto mused to himself, "Wonder what she wants me for? Maybe it's about Sasuke! Or maybe a really high mission that only I can do!"

He soon reached the tower, and ran inside. Waving to Shizune, she waved him straight through. As he walked in, he noticed he wasn't alone. Sai, Sakura and Yamato were also here.

"Hey guys, you are all here too? So it's a team mission then?" Naruto said, wondering where Tsunade was. His question was answered as she entered the room, followed by Shizune.

Tsunade started speaking, while she sat down, "I just got a message from Jiraiya. Sasuke has been spotted, along with a group of nin, near the Fire Kusa border. There is believed to be three other nin with him. I am assigning you four a mission to follow him, and if the opportunity arises, collect him, or eliminate him" She ended in a sombre tone.

"WHAT?! You must be going senile Obaa-chan! Why do you want to kill him!" Naruto yelled, shock mirrored on his and Sakura's face.

"Because, Naruto, Sasuke and his group were spotted wearing a unique outfit. It was a black cloak, with red clouds. Surely you know what that means." Tsunade stated.

"W..What?! Why!? The report must be wrong! There's no way Sasuke would join Akatsuki! His brothers in there, and he's always saying how he wants to kill his brother! It's the reason he left in the first place!" Naruto shouted, his tone oozing disbelief.

"Naruto, stay behind. The rest of you get ready. Leave!" Tsunade ordered, waiting until the others had filed out. "Naruto, I have something to tell you..." She trailed off.

"It appears the Uchiha massacre wasn't done on a whim. I have been looking through some files of Sensei, and it appears.." Here Tsunade stopped, clearly upset with what she was revealing. "It appears that the Uchiha massacre was ordered to be done by the Sandaime. They were planning a coup. I am afraid that Sasuke may have joined Akatsuki for revenge against Konoha."

"Ha, good one Obaa-chan, but you can stop lying. Oyajiji would never do that. NEVER!" Naruto shouted, at the top of his lungs. Suddenly he was surrounded by four ANBU, blades poised to slit his throat.

"STAND DOWN" Tsunade shouted angrily. As the ANBU stepped back however, Naruto turned and ran out. "Naruto! Wait!" Yelled Tsunade, to no avail. The blonde boy was gone.

Naruto ran toward his apartment, tears still streaming behind him.'I can't believe Sasuke would have joined Akatsuki! And the Third would NEVER order the death of the Uchiha Clan! Obaa-chan must be wrong!' Was Naruto's thoughts. He just couldn't reconcile the image of his beloved Grandfather ordering the execution of over a hundred of his own men.. His own family! The Old Man loved Konoha, and everyone in it!

Some Villagers were shocked. Naruto almost never cried, the only time in recent memory being at the Sandaimes funeral. Before Naruto became a Genin, the Villagers looked on him coldly. While it never escalated into physical violence, they would ignore him completely, going out of their way to ensure they were not associated with him in any way. However, after the invasion, and realising that Naruto had almost died, saving them from another demon, they started to warm up to him, and see him for Naruto not Kyuubi. To see Naruto crying, something big must have gone down. Almost instantly, people started to gossip. Before Naruto even got to his apartment, most of Konoha knew something major had happened.

Naruto was packing furiously. He tossed clothes onto a sealing scroll, body going through the regular motions, even as his mind was wandering. 'It can't be true.. I have to find Sasuke and force him to tell me the truth!' Naruto thought, nodding his head absent-mindedly, and rushing out the door, heading towards the Northern Gate, on the way to Kusa. There he met with his team-mates, who, while worried about what was up with the blonde, quickly started towards Kusa.

"Naruto? Is everything alright?" Asked Sakura worriedly. "You look upset, and I heard from the Villagers that-" She never got to finish however, as the blonde cut in.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan, I'm alright." He said in a brisk tone, brooking no argument.

Sakura, worried now more then ever, nonetheless kept quiet, and they went on their way. Sakura and Naruto had gotten closer since Sasuke left, almost 6 years ago now. She had eventually gotten over Sasuke, realising it was just a childhood crush. Indeed, she had matured quite a bit from the loud-mouth abusive brat she once was. After getting over Sasuke, she had turned her sight towards the other males her age. She had slowly started dating, of all people, Chouji. Chouji had a kind heart, and was very doting on her, and she couldn't be happier.

Naruto too had grown up, and had eventually gotten over Sakura. He was far different now, to what he was in his Genin days. He was a heartthrob for the Kunoichi of his age group, after a temporary thing with Ino. Even though they both decided it wasn't to be, the way he treated her made him fan-girl target #1. Ino had helped by making him get rid of that horrid orange outfit, forcing him to wear a dark blue shirt, with black pants. It also helped that he had grown quite a bit physically too. He was now 5' 7", not as tall as some, but nowhere near as small as he once was. He was still a bit shorter then most guys his age, due to his malnutrition as a child, but after a kick in the head by Tsunade, and thanks to the Villagers no longer being so abrasive, he had broadened his diet. He had built up a bit, becoming toned, but not bulky. The best way to describe him was like an acrobat, lithe and agile, but still packing quite a punch.

They set up camp, about 5 kilometres away from the border. Naruto offered to take first watch, knowing with the state he was in he wouldn't be able to sleep. He sat down nearby on a boulder, and thought of everything he had learned today.

The run here had helped calm him down a bit, now he was re-thinking everything about what had occurred. He realised, that every time he had met Itachi in a battle, Itachi had actually held back quite a bit. He knew that if he was hit with Tsukiyomi, he wouldn't have been able to escape when he was confronted in the Motel by Itachi and Kisame. He also realised that, when given the option to kill Kakashi-sensei, Asuma-san and Kurenai-san, he instead retreated. All of the little things started to slot together. He couldn't recall Itachi having ever actually killed a Leaf nin, always letting them go. It was all so confusing though.. 'How could the Old Man have done such a thing? Even if it was a coup, why did make him kill them all? Even the children were massacred..' He mused.

He looked up, shocked to discover the sky was becoming lighter. He had stayed up thinking all night. 'Time to wake up everyone I guess..'

After being awoken, they quickly stuffed down a meagre breakfast, all of them a bit shocked that Naruto took the whole watch. He was infamous for his sleeping habits. Whereas most Shinobi would awaken at even the lightest touch, Naruto could literally sleep through a earthquake. Checking everything was set properly, they once again headed towards Kusa. Sakura was pleased to see that Naruto appeared to be happier then he was yesterday. They leaped through the tree's, drawing ever closer. Suddenly, Yamato stopped. Wondering what was going on, the others leaped over to him.

"Yamato-sensei, what's going on? Did you detect something?" Naruto asked. Yamato's reply was to vanish, reappearing behind Sakura, and ramming a Kunai into her skull, as Sai tried to do the same to Naruto. Naruto quickly Kawarimi'd with a log, and pulled out a Kunai. "SAKURA! WHAT THE HELL YAMATO-SENSEI?! HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!" Naruto screamed, red chakra starting to envelop his form. "Gogyo Fuin!" Yelled Yamato, slamming his hand into Naruto's stomach, and sealing the Kyuubi's chakra. Suddenly, a sinister grin enveloped Yamato's form, before he vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing...

"SASUKE!!" Naruto screamed, angered beyond belief. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO YAMATO SENSEI?!"

Sasuke gave a dark chuckle. "Fool, we slipped in when you were busy day dreaming, and killed both your sensei, and the weird kid. You stupid fools didn't even realise it was a Henge! And you call yourself a Shinobi? Pathetic." After this, Sai also vanished, revealing Jugo, both him and Sasuke wearing dark smirks.

"How could you Sasuke?! All we wanted to do was bring you back! Why did you kill Sakura-chan!" Naruto demanded, anger raging through his body. It tripled, however, at his next statement. "She was in my way."

Naruto leaped at Sasuke, forming a Rasengan as he went. "RASENGAN!" Naruto yelled, before his eyes widened in shock as the jutsu exploded, sending him flying back, before colliding with a tree. "We also drugged you when you had breakfast. Such an incompetent fool, I can't believe you almost defeated me six years ago." Sasuke said, drawing his sword and he walked towards Naruto. Before Naruto could react, Sasuke stabbed him in the stomach, unwittingly damaging the Gogyo Fuiin, and the Shiki Fuiin beneath it. Naruto was in utter shock. His best friend, the man he once called a brother, had stabbed him, and killed Sakura-chan!

RAGE, total anger engulfed every fibre of his being. Even as Sasuke wrenched the blade out, and poised it towards his heart, Naruto leaped forwards, impaling himself upon the blade, but ripping Sasuke's throat to pieces with his hands, now clawed thanks to the damage to the seal Sasuke put on him. Even as Sasuke's eyes showed his utter shock, and disbelief, they transformed into the Mangekyou Sharingan, before closing forever. Naruto, satisfied he at least made the bastard pay, died, Kusanagi still impaled through his heart.

Alas, if only death was so easy. The Kyuubi, having awoken when the boy drew upon its chakra, was angered when he then saw it being cut off, by a familiar seal; same as the one six years ago, in the forest. However, pure hatred coursed through him, as he saw the STUPID boy get pierced by a sword. Luckily, it had damaged the seal blocking his chakra, and he could rush a small amount to the boy, hoping it would be enough to heal him, and defeat his foe. Then, eyes wide open at the utter foolishness of the monkey he was sealed in, watched in slow motion as the FUCKING RETARD literally THREW himself onto a fucking sword. Of all the stupid bastard children, it had to be the dumbest fucking one of the lot. Who the fuck seriously threw themselves onto a sword?

Mouth frothing with rage, Kyuubi ripped out almost 8 Tails of power, and RAMMED it, right against the seal. While normally this would achieve absolutely nothing, something had changed. The seal had actually been damaged when Sasuke stabbed Naruto in the stomach. However, this change was nothing but horrible for Kyuubi. Instead of taking minute amounts of chakra, it instead RIPPED every single piece of it out of the Kyuubi, and was taken into Naruto's dying body. The Kyuubi screamed in rage, before vanishing, never to be seen again.

Jugo was at a total loss. He witnessed as Naruto's body suddenly was ripped apart, the Kyuubi's entire chakra raging throughout his Tenketsu, shredding them, yet instantly healing them as well. It was too late to repair the boys heart, but his Tenketsu, as a final act, literally got ripped apart, and rebuilt, far thicker and stronger then they were before. In Naruto's dying moment, he was remade, his chakra shooting far above that ever given to a mortal. Jugo was in shock, no human could possibly contain such chakra. Hell, it was actually visible! Such a thing was totally unheard of from a Kage, let alone a mere Chunin. Unwilling to stay near the blonde, Jugo grabbed Sasuke, and quickly leapt off to meet Karin and Suigetsu. The plan was over, now that Sasuke was dead...

Unseen to Jugo, a brilliant flash of light engulfed Naruto's body, lifting out his soul, which, after floating in the air for a little bit, started sucking in chakra from all around it, slowly giving itself form. Eventually it absorbed all chakra near it, including the chakra in Naruto's body, shifting into a human shape.. That of one Naruto Uzumaki. Konoha's number one, most unpredictable ninja had struck again, even from the grave. All of the chakra his soul absorbed was converted, changed into a new energy type. Chakra, energy of the Living, unwittingly became Reiryoku, energy of the dead...

And Naruto's unconscious spirit never noticed the strange chain, connected to his body break, and slowly get devoured...